DE102022120910A1 - Thermosetting sealing film - Google Patents

Abstract

A thermoset sealing film (100) comprises an epoxy resin (110) and a curing agent (120) that is integrated with the epoxy resin (110) and remains physically separate from the epoxy resin (110) in a molded state (F) of the thermoset sealing film (100). .

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sealing film and more particularly to a thermosetting sealing film.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A thermoplastic material, such as hot melt adhesive, is often used to seal a cavity of a housing from the ingress of dirt, water and other environmental elements. The thermoplastic material is introduced into the cavity, heated above about 200°C to melt, flow and fill the cavity, and cooled to solidify in the cavity.

The heating required to initially melt thermoplastic materials is often around or above the melting temperature of the housing in which the thermoplastic material is placed. Consequently, the heating of the thermoplastic material must be carefully localized to prevent softening and deformation of the housing. In addition, once the thermoplastic material has solidified in the cavity, it can be softened when heated above 100°C. In many application areas of the housing, however, ambient temperatures of up to 125 °C prevail, which can lead to softening of the thermoplastic and loss of sealing in the cavity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A thermoset sealing film includes an epoxy resin and a curing agent. The curing agent is incorporated into the epoxy resin and remains physically separate from the epoxy resin in a molded state of the thermoset sealing film.

character list

• 1 ist eine schematische Darstellung eines Verfahrens zur Herstellung eines Härtungsmittels-Films gemäß einer Ausführungsform;
• 2 ist ein schematisches Diagramm eines Verfahrens zur Herstellung eines duroplastischen Dichtungsfilms gemäß einer Ausführungsform;
• 3A ist eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines duroplastischen Dichtungsfilms gemäß einer Ausführungsform;
• 3B ist eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines duroplastischen Dichtungsfilms gemäß einer anderen Ausführungsform;
• 3C ist eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines duroplastischen Dichtungsfilms gemäß einer anderen Ausführungsform;
• 4 ist ein schematisches Diagramm eines Verfahrens zur Herstellung eines duroplastischen Dichtungsfilms gemäß einer anderen Ausführungsform; und
• 5 ist ein schematisches Diagramm eines Verfahrens zum Abdichten eines Gehäuses mit einem duroplastischen Dichtungsfilm.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

• 1 Fig. 12 is a schematic representation of a method of making a curing agent film according to an embodiment;
• 2 Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a method of making a thermoset sealing film according to one embodiment;
• 3A 12 is a schematic sectional view of a thermoset sealing film according to an embodiment;
• 3B 12 is a schematic sectional view of a thermoset sealing film according to another embodiment;
• 3C 12 is a schematic sectional view of a thermoset sealing film according to another embodiment;
• 4 Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a method of manufacturing a thermoset sealing film according to another embodiment; and
• 5 Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a method for sealing a housing with a thermoset sealing film.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements. The present disclosure, however, may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, in the following detailed description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, it is evident that one or more embodiments can be implemented without these specific details.

A thermoset sealing film 100 made according to various embodiments is disclosed in FIGS 1-4 shown. The thermoset sealing film 100 includes an epoxy resin 110 and a curing agent 120 integrated with the epoxy resin 110 in a molded state F of the thermoset sealing film 100 as shown in FIGS 2-4 shown. A first embodiment of the thermoset sealing film 100 shown in FIGS 1-3 shown will now be described in more detail.

The thermosetting sealing film 100 according to the first embodiment as shown in FIGS 1 and 2 shown, comprises the curing agent 120 in the form of a curing film 130.

The curing agent film 130 includes a polymeric binder 132, a curing agent material 134 and a catalyst 136.

The polymeric binder 132 may, in various embodiments, include polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polypropylene glycol (PPG), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyoxymethylene (POM), or any other polymeric binder that capable of bonding the other materials of the hardener film 130 as described herein. The polymeric binder 132 constitutes greater than or equal to 5% and less than or equal to 95% by weight of the hardener film 130 material composition in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the polymeric binder 132 is greater than or equal to 10% by weight and less than or equal to 80% by weight of the composition of matter of the hardener film 130.

In various embodiments, the curative material 134 may comprise a variety of different types of amines including, but not limited to, polyamine, aliphatic amine, cycloaliphatic amine, and aromatic amine. In other embodiments, the hardener material 134 may comprise polyamide, polymercaptan, dicyandiamide, imidazole, or any other type of hardener capable of hardening or strengthening the hardener film 130 materials as described herein. In one embodiment, the hardener material 134 is greater than or equal to 5% and less than or equal to 95% by weight of the material composition of the hardener film 130. In another embodiment, the hardener material 134 is greater than or equal to 20% by weight and less than or equal to 80% by weight of the material composition of the curing agent film 130.

Catalyst 136, in various embodiments, can comprise amine, quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salts, metal salts, triphenylphosphine, imidazole, or any other type of catalyst that can be used in the formation of the curing agent film 130 described herein. In one embodiment, the catalyst 136 is greater than or equal to 0.01% and less than or equal to 10% by weight of the composition of matter of the curing agent film 130. In another embodiment, the catalyst 136 is greater than or equal to 0.1 % by weight and less than or equal to 1% by weight of the composition of matter of the Film 130 curing agent.

A method of manufacturing the hardener film 130 is disclosed in 1 shown schematically.

In a mixing step 610 of the process of forming the curing agent film 130, the polymeric binder 132, the curing agent material 134, and the catalyst 136 are mixed in an in 1 are arranged in the relative amounts described in the various embodiments above. The mixing vessel 400 can be any vessel of any size capable of holding and mixing the polymeric binder 132, the curative material 134, and the catalyst 136 as described herein.

in the in 1 In the embodiment shown, polymeric binder 132, curative material 134, and catalyst 136 are added to mixing vessel 400 and heated in mixing vessel 400 to a temperature above the melting or softening point of polymeric binder 132. In one embodiment, the mixing vessel 400 is heated to a temperature in a range of greater than or equal to about 50°C to less than or equal to about 150°C. The polymeric binder 132, the curing agent material 134 and the catalyst 136 are mixed with an agitator 410 of the mixing vessel 400 into a curing agent mixture 138. In this embodiment, the curing agent mixture 138 is in a liquid state L in the mixing container 400.

After the preparation of the curing agent mixture 138, the curing agent mixture 138 is cast from the liquid state L to a solid film state S in a casting step 620 to form the in 1 to form the hardener film 130 shown. The casting step 620 can be performed by any known film casting method for resin materials, for example, by pouring the curative mixture 138 in the liquid L state into a mold and allowing the curative mixture 138 to transition from the liquid L state to the solid film S state in the mold. in the in 1 1 embodiment, the curing agent mixture 138 is cooled after casting to form the solid film state S .

In one embodiment, the casting step 620 does not require heat input to transition to the solid film state S in which the curing agent 130 resides. The curing agent film 130 remains in the solid film state S at room temperature. As used herein, the term room temperature is intended to include a range of greater than or equal to 20°C and less than or equal to 25°C.

In another embodiment, instead of heating the mixing vessel 400 as described above with respect to FIGS 1 version shown tion form described, a in 4 solvent 146 shown are added to polymeric binder 132, curative material 134 and catalyst 136 and mixed in mixing vessel 400 at room temperature to form curative mixture 138. In this embodiment, after the casting step 620 , the curative mixture 138 is dried and not cooled to the solid film state S to form the curative film 130 .

The production of the thermosetting sealing film 100 with the curing agent film 130 and the epoxy resin 110 is in 2 shown. In the in the 1-3 shown embodiment, the epoxy resin 110 is formed as an epoxy film 112. The epoxy film 112 can be formed from any type of epoxy resin that can be cast into a film and is in a solid state at room temperature.

As in 2 As shown, the curing agent 130 has a curing agent film thickness 130t and the epoxy film 112 has an epoxy film thickness 112t in a thickness direction T perpendicular to a longitudinal direction G of the films 112,130. In one embodiment, the thickness of the curing agent film 130t and the thickness of the epoxy resin film 112t are controlled such that a ratio of an equivalent weight of the epoxy resin film 112 to an equivalent weight of the curing agent film 130 is greater than or equal to 0.9 and less than or equal to 1.1.

To form the thermoset sealing film 100, the solid film state S curing agent 130 is first mixed with the epoxy film 112 in an in 2 Stacking step 630 shown is stacked or layered. As in 2 shown, the stacking or laying of the curing agent film 130 on the epoxy resin film 112 results in a microscopic separation between the films 112, 130 with a gap 150 in the thickness direction T. The gap 150 depends on the roughness of each of the films 112, 130 and in one embodiment is in a range of greater than or equal to 1 μm and less than or equal to 5 mm. The films 112, 130 remain in a solid state at room temperature during the stacking step 630.

In a compression step 640, the curing agent 130 and the epoxy resin film 112, which are stacked or layered in the solid film state S, are pressed together to produce the thermoset sealing film 100 in the formed state F, as shown in FIG 2 shown. Compression step 640 may be performed with any type of compression device capable of compressing curing agent 130 and epoxy film 112 together as described herein.

In one embodiment, the compression in compression step 640 is cold compression occurring at a temperature less than 40°C or at room temperature. With cold compression, as in the in 2 In the embodiment shown, each film 112, 130 flows plastically as a result of compression to minimize gap 150; in the embodiment shown, the gap 150 between the films 112, 130 remains.

In another embodiment, the compression in compression step 640 is thermal compression in which the films 112, 130 are compressed together while the films 112, 130 are heated to a thermal compression temperature. The heat compression temperature is below a cut-in temperature at which the curing agent 130 and epoxy resin film 112 would melt and cure (see below) and is higher than the softening temperature of the polymeric binder 132. In one embodiment, the heat compression temperature is less than 100°C and in one embodiment about 40°C.

In the formed state F of the in 2 In the thermoset sealing film 100 shown, the curing agent 130 is attached to and integrated with the epoxy film 112 in compression step 640 either by cold compression or by heat compression. As used herein, the term "integrated" is intended to mean that the curing agent 130 is bonded to the epoxy film 112 by compression and that the films 112, 130 cannot be readily separated from one another; the films 112, 130 remain attached to one another during normal handling of the thermoset sealing film 100.

Despite the integration of the films 112, 130, in the formed state F, the films 112, 130 remain physically separate from one another. The term "physically separate" is intended to mean that the materials of the respective films 112, 130 remain largely unmixed and are identifiably separate from one another. In the case of cold compression in compression step 640, as in 2 As illustrated, the gap 150 remains between the integrated films 112, 130 at the microscopic level, as described above, to keep the films 112, 130 physically separated from one another. In the case of thermal compression, the gap 150 can be eliminated, and the films 112, 130 can easily bond to each other at an interface between the films 112, 130. The bonding at the interface of the films 112, 130 in the as-formed state F due to thermal compression is so weak that the films 112, 130 remain physically separated and no hair Processing or curing of the thermoset sealing film 100 occurs, which will be described in more detail below.

As in the 2 and 3A-3C As shown, the thermoset sealing film 100 in the as-molded state F can be produced in a number of different embodiments with a number of different configurations of the curing film 130 and the epoxy film 112 . As in the embodiment of 2 As shown, a layer of the curing agent film 130 may be disposed on a layer of the epoxy resin film 112 in the thickness direction T to form the thermoset sealing film 100 in the molded state F. As in 3C As shown, the one layer of epoxy resin film 112 may alternatively be placed on the one layer of curing agent film 130 in stacking step 630 and compressed in compression step 640 to form thermoset sealing film 100 in the as-molded F state. In other embodiments, as in the 3A and 3B 1, a plurality of curative films 130 or epoxy films 112 may also be used to create the thermoset sealing film 100 in the as-molded state F; 3A 12 shows a curing agent film 130 stacked and compressed between two epoxy films 112 in the thickness direction T while FIG 3B Figure 12 shows an epoxy film 112 stacked and compressed between two curing agent films 130 in the thickness direction T. In other embodiments, the thermoset sealing film 100 in the as-molded state F can be made from any number of curing agent films 130 and any number of epoxy resin films 112 in any alternating arrangement provided the films 112, 130 are stacked and compressed so that they are integrated with each other and physically separated from each other.

The thermosetting sealing film 100 according to a second embodiment is in 4 shown. Like references refer to like elements, and especially differences from those in 1-3 The embodiments shown are described in detail here.

The thermosetting sealing film 100 according to the second embodiment as in FIG 4 shown comprises epoxy resin 110, polymeric binder 132, catalyst 136, microencapsulated curing agent 140, and solvent 146.

The microencapsulated curing agent 140 as in 4 1, includes a plurality of trays 142 each containing the curing agent material 134. FIG. For reasons of clarity in the drawing, 4 only some of the shells 142 and hardener material 134 are labeled, but the reference numerals and corresponding description apply equally to each of FIG 4 similar elements shown. The shell 142 can be any type of polymeric material used in microencapsulation that can be ruptured by heat or force to release the curative material 134 contained therein. The hardener material 134 is the same as the hardener material 134 in the embodiment of FIG 1-3 . In various embodiments, each of the shells 142 of the microencapsulated curing agent 140 may have a diameter of less than 1 μm to less than or equal to 100 μm. The solvent 146 can be any type of material that, when activated, such as by heat, will help dissolve or otherwise break down the material of the shells 142 .

A method of manufacturing the thermosetting sealing film 100 according to the second embodiment is disclosed in FIG 4 shown schematically.

In a mixing step 610 of the process of forming the thermoset sealing film 100, the epoxy resin 110, the polymeric binder 132, the catalyst 136, the microencapsulated curing agent 140 and the solvent 146 are mixed in the in 4 shown mixing container 400 given. in the in 4 In the embodiment shown, the epoxy 110 is a liquid epoxy 114 that is miscible with the other elements. The liquid epoxy resin 114, the polymeric binder 132, the catalyst 136, the microencapsulated curing agent 140 and the solvent 146 are mixed with the agitator 410 of the mixing vessel 400 into a curing agent mixture 160. The thermosetting mixture 160 is in a liquid state L in the mixing container 400.

Subsequent to the formation of the thermoset composition 160, the thermoset composition 160 is cast in the casting step 620 from the liquid state L to the solid film state S as per the embodiment in FIG 1 was described above. in the in 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the solid film state S of the thermoset mixture 160 corresponds to the form state F of the thermoset sealing film 100.

As in the embodiment of 4 As shown, the thermoset sealing film 100 in the F mold state has the microencapsulated curing agent 140 embedded in a film material 162 . The film material 162 is formed from a solidified mixture of the liquid epoxy resin 114, the polymeric binder 132, the catalyst 136 and the solvent 146. The plurality of shells 142 of the microencapsulated cure means 140, each containing the curing agent material 134, are distributed over the film material 162 and thereby bonded to the epoxy resin 110 of the film material 162 and separated from each other. in the in 4 In the embodiment shown, the shells 142 provide a barrier that physically separates the curative material 134 from the epoxy resin 110 in the molded state F. FIG. The thermoset composition 160 that forms the thermoset sealing film 100 remains in the solid film state S at room temperature.

A connector 10 comprising the thermoset sealing film 100 and a method or process 700 for sealing a housing 200 of the connector 10 with the thermoset sealing film 100 are disclosed in US Pat 5 shown.

The connector 10, as in 5 1, includes housing 200 having a cavity 210 and a plurality of pins 300 disposed within cavity 210. FIG. In one embodiment, the housing 200 is formed from an insulating material and the pins 300 are formed from an electrically conductive material. Connector 10 has two pins 300 in the embodiment shown, but connector 10 could have one pin 300 or three or more pins 300 in other embodiments. Connector 10 is in 5 shown schematically and is only exemplary; the following description applies to any connector 10 with any type of housing 200 having a cavity 210 that could receive the thermoset sealing film 100 for sealing.

in a 5 The shaping step 710 shown is the thermosetting sealing film 100 in the shaped state F according to one of the in the 1-4 embodiments shown and described in detail above.

In a cutting step 720 following the shaping step 710, as in FIG 5 1, the thermoset sealing film 100 is cut while remaining in the formed state F. FIG. The thermosetting sealing film 100 is cut to have a shape corresponding to a shape of the cavity 210 of the case 200 . In the embodiment shown, the thermoset sealing film 100 is cut into a circular or disk shape; in other embodiments, the thermoset sealing film 100 may be cut into any shape required to conform to the shape of the cavity 210 . In one embodiment, the cutting step 720 can be performed manually by an operator. In other embodiments, the cutting step 720 may be performed by a cutting device controlled by a computer, for example, to die cut the thermoset sealing film 100 .

The cut thermoset sealing film 100 is inserted into the cavity 210 in an insertion step 730 and the pins 300 are positioned in the cavity 210 in a positioning step 740 . As in 5 As shown, the inserting step 730 and the positioning step 740 may occur in different orders in different embodiments. The thermoset sealing film 100 remains in the formed state F throughout the insertion step 730 and the positioning step 740.

In a first embodiment 722 presented in 5 As shown, the inserting step 730 occurs before the positioning step 740; the thermoset sealing film 100 is inserted into the cavity 210 in insertion step 730 and the pins 300 are then inserted or sewn through the thermoset sealing film 100 into the cavity 210 . Pins 300 penetrate and extend through thermoset sealing film 100 upon insertion into cavity 210.

In a second embodiment 724 shown in 5 As shown, the positioning step 740 occurs before the inserting step 730; the pins 300 are inserted into the cavity 210 in the positioning step 740 and the thermoset sealing film 100 is then pressed over the pins 300 into the cavity 210 . Pressing the thermoset sealing film 100 over the pins 300 results in the pins 300 penetrating and extending through the thermoset sealing film 100 .

The thermosetting sealing film 100 arranged in the cavity 210 is placed in an in 5 heating step 750 shown. The heating step 750 is performed with a heating device 500 . In the embodiment shown, the heater 500 is a hand-held heat source that an operator can activate and use to direct heat to the thermoset sealing film 100 within the cavity 210 . In another embodiment, the heating device 500 may be an oven and the thermoset sealing film 100 located in the cavity 210 is heated to the set temperature for the oven. In the heating step 750, the thermoset sealing film 100 in the cavity 210 is heated from the shape F state to a melt M state and finally to a cured C state.

In the in the 1-3 shown embodiment, the epoxy resin 110 formed as epoxy film 112 and the curing agent 120 formed as curing agent film 130 begin to melt, as the temperature of the thermoset sealing film 100 increases from room temperature during the heating step 750, and transition from the solid film state S to a melt state M. The films 112, 130 are no longer physically separate in the melt state M and will mix with one another. In one embodiment, the films 112, 130 transition to the melt state M and mix at a melt temperature of about 100°C or less, or in another embodiment about 150°C or less.

When the films 112, 130 in the embodiment of FIG 1-3 reach melt state M in heating step 750, the curing agent material 134 mixes with the epoxy resin 110. Since the mixture of the curing agent material 134 and the epoxy resin 110 has thermoset properties, the mixture of the curing agent material 134 and the epoxy resin 110 begins , when the temperature of the thermoset sealing film 100 further increases or is maintained above 100°C in the heating step 750, to harden into a cured state C. In one embodiment, the cured thermoset sealing film 100 reaches cure state C when the curing agent material 134 and the epoxy resin 110 have mixed and are no longer physically separate when the temperature of the thermoset sealing film 100 is maintained above 100°C for a period of time . In some embodiments, the thermosetting sealing film 100 additionally requires a post-heating time to reach the C state of cure.

In the thermosetting sealing film 100 according to the embodiment of FIG 4 as the temperature of the thermoset sealing film 100 increases from room temperature during the heating step 750, the shells 142 of the microencapsulated curing agent 140 begin to dissolve or rupture and release the contained curing agent material 134 into the film material 162 containing the epoxy resin 110; also, in the embodiment of FIG 4 no longer physically separated from epoxy resin 110 in melt state M. In one embodiment, the shells 142 begin to dissolve or decompose at about 80°C. Once the curing agent material 134 is released and mixed with the epoxy resin 110 in the film material 162, the thermoset sealing film 100 functions the same as the embodiment of FIG. 1 described above 1-3 to reach the hardened condition C.

The connector 10 with the thermosetting sealing film 100 in the cured state C is in 5 shown after heating step 750 . The thermoset sealing film 100 is in a solid phase in the cured state C and seals the pins 300 and the cavity 210 of the housing 200 . Due to the thermoset properties of the curing agent material 134 and the epoxy resin 110 mixing to form the cured state C, the thermoset sealing film 100 retains its structural integrity and the solid phase of the cured state C up to an operating temperature of about 150°C or in another embodiment, to an operating temperature of less than or equal to 200°C, thereby avoiding softening or melting problems under most connector 10 use conditions and maintaining cavity 210 sealing. The thermoset sealing film 100 is also hydrophobic in the cured state C, but after reaching the cured state C, it cannot be heated for reshaping. The thermoset sealing film 100 according to the embodiments described herein allows for a more robust sealing of the cavity 210 of the housing 200 while also requiring a heating temperature of only about 100°C or less than 125°C to reach the melted M state and the hardened C state , thereby avoiding softening and deformation of housing 200 during formation of the seal in cavity 210.

Claims (15)

A thermoset sealing film (100) comprising: an epoxy resin (110); and a curing agent (120) integrated into the epoxy resin (110) and remaining physically separate from the epoxy resin (110) in a molded state (F) of the thermoset sealing film (100). Duroplastic sealing film (100) according to claim 1 wherein the curing agent (120) is formed as a curing agent film (130) and the epoxy resin (110) is formed as an epoxy film (112), the curing agent film (130) being attached to the epoxy film (112) to form the thermoset to form sealing film (100) in the molded state (F). Duroplastic sealing film (100) according to claim 2 wherein the curing agent film (130) comprises a polymeric binder (132), a curing agent material (134) and a catalyst (136). Duroplastic sealing film (100) according to claim 1 , wherein the curing agent (120) is a microencapsulated curing agent (140) mixed with the epoxy resin (110), wherein the microencapsulated curing agent (140) comprises a plurality of shells (142) each containing a curing agent material (134). Duroplastic sealing film (100) according to claim 4 , further comprising a polymeric binder (132) and a catalyst (136) mixed with the microencapsulated curing agent (140) and the epoxy resin (110). Duroplastic sealing film (100) according to claim 1 wherein the curing agent (120) is mixed with the epoxy resin (110) in a melt state (M) and in a cured state (C) of the thermosetting sealing film (100). Duroplastic sealing film (100) according to claim 6 wherein the thermoset sealing film (100) enters the melt state (M) at a melting temperature of about 150°C or less and the thermoset sealing film (100) in the cured state (C) to an operating temperature of about 200°C or less in a solid phase remains. Connector (10) comprising: a housing (200) having a cavity (210); and a thermoset sealing film (100) positioned in the cavity (210) in a molded state (F) of the thermoset sealing film (100), the thermoset sealing film (100) comprising an epoxy resin (110) and a curing agent (120), which is integrated with the epoxy resin (110) and remains physically separate from the epoxy resin (110) in the molded state (F). Connector (10) after claim 8 wherein the thermoset sealing film (100) enters a melt state (M) and a cured state (C) in the cavity (210), the curing agent (120) with the epoxy resin (110) in the melt state (M) and the cured state State (C) is mixed. A method (700) for sealing a housing (200), comprising: Forming (710) a thermoset sealing film (100) comprising an epoxy resin (110) and a curing agent (120) integrated with the epoxy resin (110) and in a molded state (F) of the thermoset sealing film (100) physically of the epoxy resin (110) remains separate. Method (700) according to claim 10 Further comprising: inserting (730) the thermoset sealing film (100) in the formed state (F) into a cavity (210) of the housing (200); and heating (750) the thermoset sealing film (100) in the cavity (210) from the formed state (F) to a melted state (M) and a cured state (C), wherein the curing agent (120) is mixed with the epoxy resin (110) in the melted state (M) and the hardened state (C). Method (700) according to claim 11 , further comprising cutting (720) the thermoset gasketing film (100) in the formed state (F) into a shape of the cavity (210), wherein the cutting step (720) occurs after the forming step (710) and before the inserting step (730) he follows. Method (700) according to claim 11 The further comprising positioning (740) a pin (300) within the cavity (210) of the housing (200), the positioning step (740) occurring prior to the heating step (750). Method (700) according to claim 11 , wherein the forming step (710) includes casting (620) the hardener (120) as a hardener film (130) and compressing (640) the hardener film (130) with an epoxy film (112) containing the epoxy (110) wherein the curing agent film (130) and the epoxy film (112) are each in a solid state during the compressing step (640). Method (700) according to claim 11 wherein the curing agent (120) is a microencapsulated curing agent (140) and the forming step (710) comprises mixing (610) the microencapsulated curing agent (140) and the epoxy resin (110).

Images